Rep. Castor 'very frustrated' ferry to MacDill Air Force Base is taking so long

Passengers board the Cross Bay Ferry near the Tampa Convention Center on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. Local leaders are considering adding a ferry line to connect MacDill Air Force Base to south Hillsborough County, but U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is frustrated it's taking so long. JAMES BORCHUCK | Times

TAMPA — There would be no hard feelings if Hillsborough County decided to turn down federal money for a ferry connecting MacDill Air Force Base to south county and go it alone, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said.

Still, Castor told the Tampa Bay Times she is "very frustrated" that county leaders are only now debating the best path forward to make the ferry a reality. Castor announced the $4.8 million Federal Transit Administration grant in 2014 and the project remains in limbo three years later.

"It is frustrating to win a large federal grant and not be gung-ho at home about getting this done," Castor, D-Tampa, said.

The proposed ferry would service south and east Hillsborough residents commuting to and from MacDill Air Force Base in South Tampa. The Department of Defense is very supportive of the project, Castor said, because it will help ease travel times for base personnel.

The Hillsborough County Commission voted recently to study whether boats could get in the water faster if Hillsborough rejects the grant money and instead pays for the ferry line on its own. Unlocking the federal dollars requires extensive environmental study that county staff says takes several years.

But commissioners will have to decide if speeding up the time frame is worth sacrificing the federal aid. The project is expected to cost between $25 million and $30 million to purchase the boats and to build the south county landing dock and adjacent parking.

County Administrator Mike Merrill said the county is "diligently working" on it but it's a complicated project between the environmental concerns, including disrupting manatees, and the security questions of launching a boat to a military base.

"There are so many moving pieces to this thing," Merrill said. "I know that people are frustrated because they look at it from the outside and wonder why is it taking so long. I would probably feel the same."

Even basics about the ferry line remain up in the air. For example, officials haven't decided where boats will launch on the east side of Hillsborough Bay.

Castor said that's unacceptable on the county's part. Merrill said it's one of many delays caused by the mandatory federal study.

Like all of Hillsborough's transportation needs, the ferry was also held up by a basic question: How will the county pay for this?

County leaders spent two years weighing the question, first considering a half cent sales tax hike that would have pumped $116 million a year into transportation projects, including the ferry. But they rejected that proposal twice in 2016. If approved, voters would have had the final say in a November ballot referendum.

Commissioners ultimately voted to set aside $600 million from their existing budget over the next decade to pay for road construction, safety fixes and congestion relief. That's a much smaller pot of money and the ferry initially wasn't listed as a recipient of the funds.

Commissioners decided last week, though, to make it a priority. They could also dip into the $21 million won in the BP oil spill settlement to help pay for it.

"While it may have merit, we have limited resources and we treat it like any other project," Merrill said. "Grant or no grant, there's a local match and its competing with other projects."

If bureaucratic red tape in Washington was a problem, Castor said she could have helped.

"What I heard from the county in 2015 from the county administrator was they didn't intend to move forward unless the transportation referendum passed," Castor said. "I did not receive any request for, 'Congresswoman, will you help us speed up action at federal agencies.' "

TEMPE, Ariz. — Uber has halted testing of its autonomous vehicles across North America, the company announced, after a woman was struck and killed by one of its self-driving cars in Tempe, Ariz. early Monday.The moratorium on testing includes San Fra...

You might notice your Uber ride this St. Patrick’s Day costs a wee bit more than you’re used to — the popular ride-sharing app upped its prices last week in Tampa Bay.But the price hike (about 12 percent more per mile) doesn’t just have some riders g...

A video, posted on Twitter late Thursday night, shows the moment a pedestrian bridge collapsed at Florida International University.The video, posted by @OfficialJoelF, appears to be taken from a screen that was showing surveillance video shot at the ...

TAMPA — The company that designed the pedestrian bridge that collapsed Thursday at Florida International University near Miami also created Tampa Bay’s iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the elevated express lanes of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway.FIGG...

It’s been a frightening week for dog owners considering putting their pet on plane.First, there was a report Tuesday that a puppy died on a United Airlines flight after a flight attendant demanded that the dog’s owner stow him inside the overhead com...

DADE CITY — Upgrading the narrow roads around San Antonio that attract scores of weekend bicyclists could cost as much as $37 million.Or adding warning signs and flashers and whacking road-side vegetation to improve sight lines could total less than ...

Beginning late this summer, residents and visitors along Pinellas County’s beaches can expect to encounter construction at various points between Sand Key and St. Pete Beach. It’s all part of a plan by the county to improve the flow of traffic and ma...

A man stood in front of a Brightline train Sunday night in West Palm Beach and waited until it fatally struck him, according to the West Palm Beach police department.The train was travelling southbound toward Fort Lauderdale around 8:20 p.m. when it ...

TAMPA — Tampa could lose 300 jobs to San Antonio and Buffalo after changes to the local bus system last year made it more difficult for one local company to hire new employees.John Pierino, senior recruiter for One Touch Direct, said the call center ...

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport has opened its first privacy room for mothers in Gates 2-6 post-security. Located next to the restrooms, the room has a recliner, table, electrical outlet, sanitary wipes, a bench for additional family seatin...